A large group of India’s most respected independent filmmakers has issued a joint appeal following the limited and inconvenient showtimes given to Kanu Behl’s award-winning film Agra, which released on 14th November.
46 leading voices of India’s indie film community, listed below in alphabetical order, have come together to call for fair and equal opportunities for independent films to be showcased in cinemas across India:
Aamir Bashir, Aditya Kripalani, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, Ajitpal Singh, Akshay Indikar, Alankrita Shrivastava, Anuparna Roy, Arati Kadav, Ashim Ahluwalia, Bauddhayan Mukherji, Bhaskar Hazarika, Chaitanya Tamhane, Devashish Makhija, Dibakar Das Roy, Diwa Shah, Dominic Megam Sangma, Gurvinder Singh, Haobam Paban Kumar, Hardik Mehta, Honey Trehan, Kanu Behl, Karan Gour, Karan Talwar, Karan Tejpal, Leena Yadav, Megha Ramaswamy, Nandita Das, Payal Kapadia, Pradip Kurbah, Prateek Vats, Q (Quashik Mukherjee), Raam Reddy, Rahat Mahajan, Rima Das, Ronny Sen, Ruchi Narain, Sumit Purohit, Safdar Rahman, Sarvnik Kaur, Shaunak Sen, Sharukhkhan Chavada, Shlok Sharma, Shonali Bose, Tanuja Chandra, Varun Grover and Vasan Bala such a situation took place against the strong audience demand, and as a result, the film has been extensively covered by the media and has also been very successful internationally.
The filmmakers stress that this problem is much bigger than one film. Independent films across India routinely struggle to get fair access in theatres.
Their key concerns include:
• Very limited screenings
• Morning-only or weekday-only show timings
• Sudden cancellations
• No clarity on how shows are allocated
• Multiplex priority given to big-budget releases
OTT platforms have also become harder to access, as they depend heavily on box office numbers — creating an unfair cycle where indie films get fewer shows but are expected to “perform”.
What the Filmmakers Are Requesting
- At least one accessible evening show for every independent film
- Transparent screen allocation criteria
- Monthly or quarterly indie showcase cycles
- Support from cultural centres and alternative venues
- OTT acquisition that does not rely only on theatrical success
Why This Matters
Over the last decade, Indian independent cinema has taken the country’s creative identity to global platforms — premiering at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Locarno, Rotterdam and Busan. These films have expanded the idea of Indian storytelling and earned international recognition for their honesty, courage and craft.
The filmmakers add, “We offer this statement with respect, seriousness and urgency. No antagonist. No blame. Only the collective need for a healthier ecosystem. Indian independent cinema has shaped how the world sees us. Now, we must shape a system where our own audiences can see us too”
Leave a Reply